


A Late Night Call

by skylark3



Category: Holby City
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, late night phone call
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 02:35:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17092430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skylark3/pseuds/skylark3
Summary: Roxanna receives a late night call from Henrik who has an interesting proposition for her.





	A Late Night Call

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in the midst of series 19 before Roxanna, David and John hit our screens. It may form part of a number of late night calls between Roxanna and Henrik.

It was gone 11 ‘o’ clock, it was late.  Roxanna drained the last of the white wine from her wine glass and placed it down on the coffee table in front of her.  She was sat on the sofa with her feet up resting on the table and flicking through the TV channels.  She let out an exasperated sigh to herself. Most of her evenings were spent like this these days, watching garbage TV with a glass of something.  She knew it wasn’t good for her but it had become somewhat of a habit recently.  She was fast becoming a statistic; a middle age, middle class drinker behind closed doors.  Deciding it was probably time to call it a night she switched the TV off. 

Before she had managed to move though she felt the vibrations of her mobile phone in her dressing gown pocket.  Curious to see who was calling at this time of night she pulled the phone out and looked at the name flashing up on the screen.  On seeing the name she took in a sharp breath in an attempt to fight off that familiar flutter of warmth that was starting to develop in her stomach.    

She didn’t know why she was surprised because there was only ever one person who called her this late at night, apart from David when he was working away and tonight David was safely tucked up in bed upstairs asleep.  This other person wasn’t a frequent caller; they were never one to intrude or impose.   But every now and then there was a reason to call, an excuse if you will, to hear the other person’s voice at the end of the line; to hear their breath, to share the sweet silence between them that sometimes existed during those calls.  To remind each other of their existence and of their friendship.  Calls were not one way either; she had done her fair share of calling over the years too and they were always answered in a prompt fashion.   

Her finger hesitated over the green answer button but there was never any real doubt that she would answer.  

“Henrik.”

“Roxanna.” The first ‘a’ drawn-out.  It sent a shiver through her body.  Nobody else said it like that, only him. 

“How are you? It’s good to hear from you.”

“I’m well thank you.  How are you? How is David?”

“We are both great thanks.” It wasn’t completely true but neither of them needed pity. It had been enough that last time she spoke to Henrik she had spent the whole duration of the call in tears hardly able to talk whilst discussing David’s illness. 

“The reason I’m calling Roxanna is because I have a proposal for you.  A vacancy has just arisen for Head of Neurology at Holby City and I rather thought you might be interested in the role.”

“Me? Oh right. Well I have a job here and I’m not sure I would be very welcome at Holby after Tara. Is Oliver Valentine still working there?”

“Oh come now Roxanna.  Please don’t be so hard on yourself about that. Especially after all this time. There was nothing else you could have done.  It was not your fault.  Mr Valentine does still work here yes and you have nothing to worry about on his account I can assure you.”

“Yes, but still. Anyway, I like where I am working now.”

“You’re much better than that hospital Roxanna, you know you are.” She could sense his lips curling upwards as he said it, his kind, gentle face smiling down at her and she felt her cheeks start to blush. She let out a small embarrassed laugh, and she heard him let out a gentle sigh. 

 There was a small pause and then a change of tone. 

“I was thinking that if you and David where closer then I could offer you both more support.  Be on hand more to help you out with David.  As his illness progresses you will need help Roxanna.”

He had brought her right back down to earth.  She rested her head on the back of the sofa and swallowed the lump that was rising in her throat in response to his words.  The thought of David in the latter stages of dementia flashed across her mind.  She knew Henrik could sense her emotion, just as she could hear his steady breathing on the other end of the line.  She didn’t know what to say to him.  She would never ask Henrik for help with David although she knew he would be there in an instance if she ever did.  It was all too complicated.  Too many feelings involved. 

“How are things Roxanna? Is David around?”

She sat up and leant forward taking the stem of the wine glass between her fingers and absentmindedly turned the glass around slowly on its coaster. “No….he’s not around.  He’s in bed.  He gets tired so quickly these days. He’s er, well, he’s not working anymore.  Things were becoming difficult with both the University and the Teaching School so he’s at home all of the time now.  Which I’m not sure is the best thing for him either, to be honest with you.”

“I’m here for you both Roxanna. You only need to ask.”

“I know you are Henrik….and thank you.”

“The role does come with the opportunity to apply for funding too for your project, for David’s project and I thought that may be an incentive.”

“Yes, that _is_ interesting.” He had sparked her attention now and she felt a little more upbeat. Always the work.  Henrik knew what he was doing.  “The work is really coming on Henrik, I think it could really make a difference to patients with dementia. To David.  But funding is the issue at the moment, so that is very interesting to know.”

“Good, good.  Also, I’ve spoken to John…”

She leant back on the sofa now feeling more relaxed “To John? Where is he? I haven’t heard from him in, well, it must be over a year now.  He doesn’t know about David yet.”

“Well he is all over at the moment by the sounds of it, Morocco, Portugal.    I hope you didn’t mind but I did tell him about David?”

“No, of course not.” He had done her a favour.  One less person to explain it all to.

“You see John will be coming to Holby too. He’s accepted the position of Director of Medicine and he will be continuing with his research here at Holby. He has made an amazing break through Roxanna but I will let him tell you himself about that.”

“I have been following his research and I knew he was close but it sounds as if he may have done it this time.  Come on Henrik, you have to tell me!”

“Really Roxanna, he would want to tell you himself.” Yes Henrik was right, John would relish telling her all about it and perhaps he would be a bit smug about it too. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.  Slightly jealous maybe that it wasn’t her who had made the big break through, but at the end of the day it was the work that mattered to her, the progress, not the prestige.  If John’s work was going to help people then that was all that mattered. 

 “Now about this job proposition? Any thoughts?”

“It’s a lot to take in Henrik. I can’t decide now.  I need to think about it, talk to David.  It would mean us moving house and I’m not sure that upheaval is good for David. I’ll have to get back to you Henrik.”

“Of course.  Well I will email you over the details and if you have any further questions please come back to me. Well it’s late so I.... better let you go….” She could hear the hesitation in his voice. 

“Yes, it is late…..so I suppose I should…..” she bit her lips and threw her head back and studied the light fitting on the ceiling. She wasn’t ready to stop listening to his voice.  His silky, comforting voice.  

“Yes, well then Rox…,”

She cut him off, “Henrik? Where are you?” That was it. She’d said it. She started something and she didn’t know why.  She never did know why she did this with Henrik. 

“Where am I Roxanna? I’m at my house.” She heard the dry humour in his voice and that smirk spreading across his lips.  Very good Henrik.  She smiled to herself with amusement and curled her legs beneath her and made herself comfortable.

“Now, let me guess. You are in your study, stood up in front of the hearth. A glass of amber liquid in hand. Now tell me, am I right?”  There was a playfulness to her voice and she knew it. 

“You’re not wrong Roxanna. Let’s put it that way.” She heard him take a gulp of the drink. 

“And you’re wearing your blue navy sweater over your shirt and your collar is open. Yes?”

“Yes,” the word was elongated followed by another gulp. Roxanna let out an amused giggle into the handset. 

“Ok then Miss MacMillan. My turn.  Let me see.  You are in your sitting room, sat, no lying on the sofa. Probably a glass of wine in your hand.  White, that is.” She smiled as she could hear his face screw up with disgust at the thought of drinking white wine.  “Possibly in comfortable clothes, definitely wearing slippers.” She laughed at this last bit.  He was close, she was wearing her pyjamas but she wasn’t going to tell him about the pink fluffy bed socks she had on her feet. 

“And you are watching some terrible American crime series on the television.  Now how did I do?”

“Well Henrik, you did very well. But the wine glass is now empty so I think I win this time don’t you?”

“hmm, very well. But I think we are about evens now?”

“I suppose but you know how I don’t like to lose, so perhaps I need to be a bit less predictable next time.”

“Oh you are never predictable Roxanna. Believe me.” They both let out a chuckle down the line.  

There was a stillness now. She sensed the frivolity was over and they were returning to their previous serious tone. The smile disappeared from her face and she smoothed her hand over her face, rubbing at her eyes.   

He spoke first, “Roxanna. You know you can call me any time you want don’t you? If there is anything you need. Anything you both need. Please don’t be afraid to call.”

She took a deep breath, her hand over her eyes; “thank you Henrik and yes, I know I can call you.”

“Okay then. Well I should let you sleep.  Goodnight Roxanna.”

“Goodnight Henrik…. And thank you for calling.  I’ll be back in touch with you about the job.”

“Bye Roxanna.”

“Bye Henrik.”

Neither of them pressed the ‘end call’ button and there was a few moments when they listened to each other’s breathing.  Eventually it was Henrik who ended the call. Roxanna dropped the phone on to the cushion next to her. 

Working with Henrik day in day out, then coming home to David each night.  She didn’t think she could do it.

Moving David from his home was not an option anyway.  It would be too much of an upheaval for him.  David’s needs had to come first.

But then again there was the work. Her project.  The three of them working together, the squad back together again.  It was a nice idea and she felt nostalgic about it but the circumstances were not right.  She would say no.  Henrik would understand, he always understood.

 


End file.
